WORLD FARE: The telenovela that is Tijuana’s Tortas El Turco

WIDE SHOT of the East side of Avenida Revolución looking South. A WOMAN is walking toward the intersection at 5th carrying a large handbag.

MEDIUM SHOT of the Tortas El Turco stand from the POV of the WOMAN.

CLOSE UP of DANIEL PEREZ-PEREZ through the counter window, his back to the WOMAN as he scrapes the flattop. He is cleaning up for the night. So is she.

WOMAN (off screen)

Daniel. Look at me!

TWO SHOT of DANIEL and the WOMAN on either side of the counter. The WOMAN reaches into her massive purse and removes a high caliber HANDGUN. She points it at DANIEL, whose eyes widen noticeably.

DANIEL

What are you doing? What the..

E/C/U of the WOMAN, a wry smile curls her lips.

WOMAN

I’ve come to take what’s mine, Daniel.

CLOSE UP of DANIEL, fear arcing across his face.

DANIEL

No. The stand…the shops…

WOMAN

They’re mine, Daniel. Mine. You gave them to me and you gave me the recipe.

TWO SHOT of DANIEL and the WOMAN, who fires the HANDGUN. DANIEL staggers backward grabbing his chest where the bullet entered, blood oozing around his hand. He falls, dead.

* * *

That’s probably not an accurate depiction of how Tortas El Turco founder Daniel Perez-Perez was murdered in 1983 by his second wife. It is, however, roughly how a Mexican telenovela might portray it; overacting, overwriting and all.